Eustis Moves Up To Aaa -- And The Unknown

For the past several years, Eustis has played in Class AA, District 5. Its opponents have been, for the most part, other teams from Lake and Sumter counties. Eustis was playing its neighbors. Information about an opponent was nothing more than a phone call away.

But this year, because of student population, Eustis has been bumped to AAA. Its opponents are now long-distance phone calls and two-hour bus rides away. The distance has cast a shadow of unknown onto this season.

''It's wild sepculation at this point,'' Cosden said. ''We don't know who we are playing against. We've tried to get some films on some teams and that hasn't panned out. They are a mystery to us.

''Off the cuff, I'd say because we are playing 3A, they may be bigger, stronger and faster. On the other hand, I like to think that we played in a very tough division. There aren't many teams that are going to be much better than Wildwood and Mount Dora.''

Eustis was 6-4 last season and finished the season with a seven-game winning streak. That may sound impossible -- but it's true. After losing their first three games, the Panthers defeated their final seven opponents, only to forfeit a victory over Wildwood because of an ineligible player.

Cosden is proud of what happened last season, even if its was filled with a roller-coaster ride filled with ups and downs. There was the three-game losing streak, a bench-clearing fight with Leesburg that ended with player suspensions and the forfeit to Wildwood. Still, the Eustis players overcame it all to finish second in the district.

''Overall, as I look back, there are not many teams who could start the season 0-3, then have a fight, and come back the way we did,'' Cosden said. ''Those kids showed me something. I was really, really proud.''

Although some key players -- like fullback C.J. Thompson, quarterback Earl Young and receivers Sam Taylor and Sean Cummings -- are gone, many players who endured last season are back.

Two other players unexpectedly gone are halfback Alvin Dorsey (academics) and lineman Demetrius Johnson (disciplinary). Dorsey, who could have had a 1,000-plus-yard rushing season, could be back later this season.

Cosden thinks the events of last season could make his team stronger.

''What we really have this year is no star talent,'' Cosden said. ''We don't have any Alvin Dorseys, no Demetrius Johnsons. We have a lot of kids with average ability with a lot of heart.''